What is Chandipura Virus: Transmission, Symptoms, and Prevention how it spreads to the body

What is the Chandipura Virus

Chandipura Virus: In Gujarat, a virus that is rare but has the potential to be a deadly pathogen recently created headlines as health officials struggled with an outbreak that claimed at least one confirmed life and was suspected in 13 other fatal accidents in the state in the last two weeks.

On Wednesday, State Health Minister Rushikesh Patel told the media, after receiving reports from the National Institute of Virology (NIV), Pune, that the child who died from Mota Kanthariya in Aravalli has been confirmed as the state’s first death caused by the Chandipura virus.

The child was a four-year-old who had recently become infected with the virus at a government hospital in Sabarkantha, according to health officials.

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On Wednesday, officials said, that there were two more deaths suspected to be caused by the virus were reported.

Officials reported that a four-year-old girl from Bariya Faliyu in Godhra taluka, admitted with symptoms such as fever, vomiting, and convulsions commonly associated with the Chandipura virus in SSG Hospital in Vadodara, died two days ago, in Panchmahal district.

In 1965, the CHPV virus was first identified in Chandipura, a village in Maharashtra, India, It belongs to the Rhabdoviridae family and is related to the vesicular stomatitis virus.

Through the bite of infected sandflies, It can primarily be transmitted to humans other insects can also play the same role as sandflies. with the previous outbreaks reported in various parts of India, occurring in states such as Andhra Pradesh, Gujarat, and Maharashtra.

Transmission of the virus?

The officials found the presence of sandflies, near her residence - the primary vector believed to be of CHPV transmission, especially species of the genus Phlebotomus. In tropical and subtropical regions, tiny blood-sucking insects are common.

Dr Pradeip Umarigar, health officer, of Surat Municipal Corporation, told HT, “Sandflies are known to be the main vectors for this virus. Most of the cases are from north Gujarat, where the dry temperature is favourable for the breeding of sandflies. They are found in cracks in walls where they breed and lay their eggs, and in mud houses.”

Symptoms of the virus?

• Sudden fever onset
• Vomiting
• Changes in mental status
• Seizures
• Diarrhea
• Impaired neurological function (e.g., difficulty speaking, loss of balance, vision changes)
• Meningeal irritation (evidenced by symptoms such as headaches, stiff neck, sensitivity to light, and seizures)

Dr. Umarigar said, “The virus proves most dangerous for children under the age of 15, as their immunity against viral infections is very low. The initial symptoms include high-grade fever, which is very common, and hence, its early detection becomes difficult. Other symptoms include severe headache and muscle pain. The virus infects the brain. Once infected, patients can deteriorate quickly, sometimes within hours of symptom onset.”

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Initial symptoms include high fever, severe headache, and muscle pain. As the infection increases, it can lead to awareness, seizures, and in severe cases, coma and death. the virus causes rapid neurological deterioration, making it early detectable and treatment crucial for patient survival.

How to Prevent the Virus?

A Health Department officials, said, “A challenging aspect of the Chandipura virus (CHPV) is its ability to persist in sand flies, allowing it to survive through the winter and re-emerge under favourable conditions,”

The strategies for the prevention of the Chandipura Virus include identifying and eliminating sandfly breeding sites and reducing exposure to sandflies and other potential vectors.

Spraying insecticide, and insecticide-treated bed nets, applying insect repellents, wearing protective clothing, and improving sanitation to reduce breeding sites for vectors, said officials.

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